Plumb bob carrier



y 1953 E. s. WILLIAMS 2,637,913

PLUMB BOB CARRIER FiledAug. 10, 1950 mfmi Hiili' 1 lllli I! 3nnenfor Edward S. Williams Gttornegs Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLUMB BOB CARRIER Edward S. Williams, New Philadelphia, Ohio Application August 10, 1950, Serial No. 178,668

2 Claims.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in carriers for plumb bobs, and more particularly to a carrier in the form of a housing or case containing a reel or spool upon which the plumb line is wound, and having a compartment therein to receive and house the plumb bob when not in use.

It is an object of the invention to provide such a device comprising a relatively flat, substantially rectangular housing having a reel or spool therein for winding up and paying out the plumb line, and a compartment in the housing for receiving and housing the plumb bob.

Another object is to provide a manually operatecl latch for locking the plumb bob within said compartment when not in use.

A further object is to so construct and arrange the parts that when the plumb line is reeled in the plumb bob will be drawn into its compartment to a position where the latch may be operated to retain the plumb bob therein.

A still further object is to provide the plumb bob with a reduced neck at its upper end, termihating in an enlarged head, the latch being in the form of a slidable member having a bifurcated end portion for engaging said reduced neck.

Another object is to provide an open-sided housing having a removable side wall upon which the reel is journalled.

A further object is to provide such a plumb bob carrier so constructed that plumbing from one surface to another surface above it may be accomplished accurately and quickly.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved plumb bob carrier in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plumb bob carrier embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 an elevation showing the interior of the housing with the detachable side wall removed;

Fig. 3 an elevation of the inner side of the detachable side wall of the housing;

Fig. 4 a transverse section through the housing, taken as on the line 4--4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 an elevation showing the manner of plumbing from one surface to another surface above it; and,

Fig. 6 a detached, perspective view of the sliding latch for retaining the plumb bob within the housing.

Y Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout, the device includes a housing, indicated generally at Iii, which may be molded or cast from plastic or other suitable material.

This housing is preferably open-sided, having the back wall H and an integral flange, indicated generally at 12, formed around its edges to provide end walls It and M, a top wall l5 and bottom wall [6- which terminates at a point spaced from the end wall it so as to provide an opening ll in the bottom of the housing, of sufficient size to permit the plumb bob to pass therethrough, an integral upright partition wall [8, parallel to the end wall I3, extending upward within the housing, from the terminal end of the bottom wall It, so as to provide a compartment l9 within the housing, into which the plumb bob may be received when not in use, as will be later described.

The upper corners of the housing may be rounded, as indicated at and 2!, and bosses 22 may be formed integrally with the flange l2 and back wall II at the upper corner 26, in the lower corner directly therebeneath and at the junction of the bottom wall [6 and partition wall It, these bosses being provided with tapped openings 23 for a purpose to be later described.

A post 24, having a peripheral groove 25, may be formed integrally with the back wall I l of the housing and is preferably provided with a tapped opening 26. This post is located above the center of the compartment l9.

The front wall 27 of the housing is preferably formed separable and is of the same outline as the housing and adapted to be connected to the housing by means of screws 28, located through suitable apertures 29 in the front wall 21 and engaged in the threaded openings 23 and 26 of the housing.

The reel 30 is carried by the removable front wall 2i of the housing. For this purpose one trunnion 3! of the reel is located through a suitable aperture 32 in the front wall 2'? and the crank handle 33 is attached to the outer end of this trunnion as by the screw 34 engaged in the threaded aperture 35 in the trunnion ill.

The reel is thus journalled upon the front wall 21. The other end of the reel is provided with a similar trunnion 36 which may be received in an aperture 31 in the back wall I I of the housing.

The plumb line 38 is adapted to be coiled upon the reel 30, as indicated at 39, and the end thereof passes through a slot 40 in the sliding latch wardly bent, in horizontal position, as indicatedat 45, and may be connected to the fingers-hub ton 41, as by the screw 43 located throughthe ing. c

When the sliding latch member 4'lis"*m'0'ved rearwardly from the position showniim iFigr Z;

the bifurcated end 43 thereof is withdrawn from engagement with the plumb bob, permitting the same to descendfrom the-housing-by gravity as the iplumb line 33 istpaidoff from the -reel=30;

In order to prevent -too rapid descent ofthe plumb-bobwhen the latch is-released, :the crank handle 33 may bemanuallyoperated-to'pay out the plumb line at the desired speed.

In order to accurately and quickly plumbfrom one surface to another surface above it, the housing may be positioned as shown .in -Fig. 5, against a ceiling orother upper-surface, indi cated at C, and mark may lie-made upon said upper. surface, atthe point wherethe upper corner of the housing contacts the surfaca'as indicated at U. This pointU will. then be directly above the center of the plumb bob 4?. as it is allowed to descend.

Fromthe above it will be evident that a simple, inexpensive and eihcient plumb bob carrier is provided, having a. reel therein for coiling the plumb line thereon, with acomparitment within the housing for receiving-and housing the 'plumbbob, when not in useyandme'ansfor retaining the plumb bob'within this compartment so that the carrier maybe handled or. transported without danger of the reel unwinding.

I claim:

1. A plumb bob carrier comprising airelatiuely fiat, substantially rectangular housing having an opening at one lower corner, a partition Wall adjacent to said opening and'extending-upward within the housing to-apointspaced from the top thereof forming an open ended compartment within the housing, a reel journalled within: the

housing between said partitionwallandthe-opposite edge of the housing a cranlL-handleex- 15 elongated slot 49 in the top' wall representin -1- terior of the housing for operating said reel, a transverse post in the housing centrally located above the upper open end of said compartment, a plumb line coiled upon the reel and located over said transverse post, a plumb bob connected to the end of the plumb line and adapted to be withdrawn through said opening into the compartment and entirely within the housing, an enlarged head upon the top of the plumb bob, a

latch member Z-slidabIy; mounted upon the top wall of the housing antlhaving depending portion terminating in a bifurcated end for en- "gaging under said enlarged head to hold the plumb bob entirely within the housing,

and means upon the exterior of the housing for operating the slidable latch member.

2, Aip1umbbobicarrier comprising a relatively 'fiat,'substantially rectangular housing having an opening at one lower corner, a partition wall adjacent to said opening and extending upward Within'rthe housing to a point spaced ircm'the top *thereotforming-an open' ended compartment within the housing, a reel journalled within the housing betweensaid partition walland the opposite'edge-of thehousinga crank handle exterior of the housing for operating reel, a transverse post in the housing centrally located above the upper open end of saidcompartment, a plumb line-coiledupon the reeland located'over said transversepost, a plumb'bob'conneeted to the'end of the plumb line-and adapted to be withdrawn through said-opening-into the compartment and entirely within the housing, an enlarged head'uponthe'top of the plumb bob, a

latch member-sl-idabiy mounted upon the top Wall of the housing andha'ving a depending portion terminating 'in a bifurcated end for engaging under saidenlargedmead to hold the plumb bob entirely within the'housing, there'being an aperturein-the depending portion of the slidable latch memberthrough'which the plumb line is located, ;and"means upon the exterior of the housing vfor operating the slidable latch mem- EDWARD S. WILL E/Alvis.

--References. Citedin'the me of this patent UNITED STATES .PATENTS Number Name Date 932,218" Wilson Aug: 24, 1909 1,043,29.5 Burns Nov. '5, 1912 1,962,045 Walton June 5, 1934 2,135,211 Johnson -l Nomi, 1938 "2.492.609 Worden Dec. 2"], 1949 

